“There’s no sign of a struggle,” Garl said.
He was right. If there’d been a struggle, I would’ve expected to see areas where boots had slipped, prints overlapping each other, and gouges in the mud.
Instead, there were just clear footprints in a perpendicular path to the tire marks.
“I agree,” Scott said. “They must have had a weapon or some kind of leverage to make him cooperate. I need to get back to the center. I’m guessing there will be a ransom demand made. Michael’s wealth is well known.”
Ransom. I shivered—and not just from the cold.
We walked back at a fast pace. Stanton and a new crew of officers with equipment boxes stood next to Julie’s car. When the deputy saw us, he scowled in our direction.
“Wait! Let me explain,” I said as I saw him open his mouth, getting ready to say something.
I didn’t have to.
Scott stepped forward. “I have reason to believe Michael Corrigan might have been kidnapped.”
“Why?” Stanton wasn’t one to mince words.
Scott shared what we’d found and what he thought was going to happen. “I need to get back to the community center and be available for any attempts at contact the kidnappers might make.”
“We need to see the area you’re talking about,” Stanton said.
Garl said, “I can take you there.”
Scott handed Stanton the ticket he’d picked up. “This is the ticket I told you about. You know where I’ll be if you need to reach me. If anything develops, I’ll let Deputy Sheriff Davidson know so he can get in touch with you.”
Garl and the officers left as Scott and I got in my vehicle. Rex greeted us with an anxious whine.
As I drove down the road, I glanced over at Scott. His mouth was set in a grim line, his jaw clenched.
“Scott, if anyone can take care of himself, it’s Michael.”
“I know…but a bullet can take down the strongest of men.”
He was right.
I persisted. “But why would someone want to kill him? I can’t imagine this is the time and place for an old enemy to be lying in wait for him. It’s most likely the poachers. They have nothing to gain by killing him.”
Scott nodded and appeared to relax a bit. “You’re right. I hope if they’re the ones responsible, they see it that way. If they want money, they’ll have to prove to me he’s alive.”
As we approached the barn, I said, “I’ll work on finding out whether or not Cassie went with Julie.”
“Good. I’ll call Michael’s attorney and tell him what’s happened. He’ll be the one responsible for getting any money needed.”
I parked in front of the center’s building under a redwood tree, and Scott got out and trotted to the front door. His worry was palpable.
I got Rex out of the back and headed for the barn, hoping to find Sebastian. He’d be able to talk to the other veterans and find out what they knew about Cassie. I didn’t have to look for Sebastian. He found me. I stepped into the building and Sebastian suddenly showed up at my side.
The corners of his mouth were turned down. “You have Rex. That must mean you haven’t found Julie.”
I could see he so desperately wanted some good news. I wracked my brain for any positive words or sign of hope I could give him. “Deputy Sheriff Stanton told us they hadn’t found any sign of a struggle…maybe she and Cassie needed to do something without Rex.”
From the look on his face, there was no comfort in those words.
“Please let me know as soon as you hear anything,” Sebastian said.
“I will. What’s your cell phone number?”
He told me and I put it in my phone, then gave him mine.
“Speaking of Cassie, I need your help. She and Julie planned to forage together this morning, but we don’t know if they did or not. If they did leave together, the police want to know if she drove her own car. Can you talk to anyone who was here this morning and see if they know the answers to those questions?”
“Sure. Anything to help.” The last words were said over his shoulder as he hurried out.
I went over and studied the board that had been erected to hold the map. Lines had been drawn in a grid format and each section given a number. The word “vehicle” identified the area where Julie’s car had been found.
Deputy Sheriff Davidson approached. “May I help you?”
“I was just studying the map. Your organization and the speed with which you’ve gone into action is impressive.”
“When a life is at stake, we do everything we can to move as quickly as possible.”
I paused and then pointed to where I’d just been on the map. “I was up there helping to search. This is the dog left in the car.”
“I heard about him.” Just then his radio signaled and he stepped away from me. After a brief conversation, he returned, a serious look on his face. “It seems another person has gone missing. A man named Michael Corrigan…and it’s being considered a possible kidnapping.”
Davidson wrote the name on a chalkboard under the other name on it—Julie Simmons.
I nodded. “I was part of the group that found the evidence.”
I briefly filled him in. I figured he would be provided more detailed information soon.
He left and Rex and I started back for the car. I wasn’t sure what the Silver Sentinels and I could do to help, but we often came up with a plan when we put our heads together. I stepped off the sidewalk to let others pass and stood next to a van with Sagatini Winery in red letters on the side. I texted the group the latest news and asked if they could meet at four.
As I put the phone back in my jacket, I became aware of raised voices belonging to Lorenzo and his father, Carlo.
“I don’t want to sell the winery,” Carlo said. “I was hoping with Eric dead the deal would fall through.”
Phil had been right about the father being upset.
“Dad, we’ve been through this a hundred times. You want to retire, and I don’t want to run the winery. It’s as simple as that. You’ll still have your home and twenty acres…and time to enjoy your life.”
“Lorenzo, you can hire a winemaker. You can hire a manager. They can run the business and the family name and our heritage can continue on. You’re a fourth generation Sagatini. It’s more than a winery. It’s our name, our family’s business.”
“No.” The answer was firm. “Trust me. The best plan is to sell.”
I hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but the truth was, I was listening to someone’s private conversation, and an angry one at that. It was time to make myself known. I stepped onto the path and walked past the van to the back of it. Lorenzo and Carlo had exchanged their tailored Italian suits for khakis and denim shirts.
Just as I became visible, Lorenzo tossed a case of water onto a hand truck with such force his father, who was holding the equipment upright, had to step back.
He saw me then turned to his father. “Sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to throw it so hard.”
“No harm,” his father said. “Kelly, good to see you again, though I wish it was under better circumstances.”
No sign of the anger I’d heard showed in either of their faces. Even with the bitter differences, they’d come together as family. Their issues would stay in-house. They’d closed ranks.
Lorenzo placed another case on the dolly, more gently this time. “We got news of the search and rescue effort and the teams assembling. Dad and I supply water and help with the food if that becomes necessary.”
I saw large containers of water in the back of the vehicle.
Lorenzo followed my gaze. “We ask people to refill their water bottles to keep down the number of plastic containers used.”
Carlo turned the hand truck in the direction of the barn. “I’ll take these over.”
“Okay,” Lorenzo said. “I’ll get the rest of the water out.”
He turned to me. “Bad news about Phil getting arrested for stealing wine. Hard to believe he’d do something like that. People can surprise you.”
A flash of anger surged through me. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
“Then don’t believe it, because he didn’t do it.” My words were clipped and overly loud.
Lorenzo’s eyes widened and his eyebrows rose. His shocked expression reflected the harshness in my voice.
“Sorry. I apologize for talking to you like that. I’m on edge with all that’s happened.”
“I understand. I like Phil, and I’m glad you believe in him.”
“The Silver Sentinels and I are working to prove him innocent of the theft.”
“I’m happy to hear he has you and the others helping him out. This must be a very difficult time for him, with Eric’s death and then his ability to taste in question, which could mean the end of his career.”
“Yes.”
There wasn’t much more I could say. It was a very hard time for Phil.
Lorenzo’s father returned and I continued with Rex to my Jeep. I checked my phone for messages. The Sentinels would be at the inn at four. I was about to put the dog in the back when I saw Sebastian in the distance walking toward the barn.
“Rex, let’s go see what Sebastian found out.”
I found him questioning Jim Patterson, the farm manager. I stood next to them as Sebastian asked him about Cassie.
“I didn’t see her this morning,” Jim said. “Sorry I can’t be more helpful.”
Sebastian thanked Jim and turned to me. “I still have a few more people I can talk with, but two of them have said they saw Cassie follow Julie’s Subaru in her Volkswagen.”
I shook my head. “That means she’s missing as well as her car.”
The list of missing people continues to grow.
“Could the two of them have gotten away in her Beetle?” he asked.
It was a futile hope and he knew it. I could tell by the desperate look on his face.
“If they did, why haven’t they contacted us? And why leave Rex?” I asked.
“Right.” The word had a hopeless ring to it.
“I need to get the news to Stanton about Cassie,” I said.
I saw Deputy Sheriff Davidson, went to him, and told him what we’d learned.
He picked up his radio from the table where it rested. “Thanks. I’ll let the others know.”
“I have photos of Cassie’s car. It’s very distinctive. Stanton doesn’t have cell reception where he is. I can text them to you so you can distribute them.”
“I appreciate that. As I said, we want to act as quickly as possible in a situation like this. The manager here, Scott Thompson, sent me a photo of Julie Simmons. I’ll check with him and see if he has one of this young woman.”
“He should. The chefs provided photos for a brochure he created.”
Davidson gave me his number. The photos were on my phone, and I was able to send them to him within a matter of minutes. I glanced at the chalkboard. A third name had been added—Cassie MacGregor.
I rejoined Sebastian. “There’s something else you should know. It’s been made public now. Michael Corrigan is missing, and it’s believed he’s been kidnapped.”
Michael made it a habit to know all the veterans personally, so, while I hadn’t seen Sebastian with him, I knew he’d know who he was.
“Now Michael and Cassie both gone.” He shook his head. “Along with—”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ian approaching. He stopped in front of Sebastian, his uncast hand clenched. “Did I hear you say my wife Cassie has disappeared with a man named Michael?”
Anger contorted his face and the demons of jealousy stared out from his eyes. Again, I wondered if he had had another encounter with Eric. And with his uncontrollable temper, was it possible he had something to do with Cassie, Michael, and even Julie disappearing?
Rex leaned into my leg.
Startled, Sebastian stepped back. “No…no…they’ve both gone missing. The police are thinking kidnapping.”
Ian shook his head in disbelief. “My Cassie is a fighter. She wouldn’t let someone take her. She’s run off with him, that’s what’s happened.”
I’d had enough. My temper was on the short side today, and I stepped toward the big man. “Ian, we haven’t been introduced, but I know who you are.”
He turned to me. “I remember you helping Cassie when she spilled the groceries.”
“Right. First, you didn’t let Sebastian finish. Julie is missing as well and her service dog was left behind. The police believe Michael’s been abducted, so there’s a good chance that’s what has happened to Cassie and Julie.”
The anger began to dissipate and was replaced by a puzzled frown. “Kidnapped? Why would someone kidnap Cassie? We have no money to speak of. Does someone want to hurt her?”
“We don’t know anything yet,” I said.
His free hand formed a fist. “No, that can’t be…that someone took her by force. Cassie’s always been able to take care of herself. She’s got to be okay.”
“Second, you referred to her as your Cassie. Based on a recent conversation I had with her, at the rate you’re going, she may not be your Cassie much longer.”
Sebastian moved away out of earshot to give us privacy.
Ian’s lips tightened. “Is she seeing someone else?”
“Not that I know of. She and I had a talk after you broke your hand. I know how it happened and why and that she wanted you to leave.” I pointed to his cast. “It’s your temper and your jealously that’s the problem.”
Ian sat abruptly in a nearby chair, rubbed his face, then ran his fingers through his hair. “I love her so much. I’m away from home a lot. I’m a long-distance driver and spend long hours driving dark roads. My mind winds down twisty paths and creates unpleasant scenarios. I know I’m driving her crazy, but the last thing I want to do is lose her. I don’t know what to do.”
I sat next to him. “She loves you.”
“She told you that?”
I nodded. “Yes, so your relationship isn’t over yet.”
How has this turned into a counseling session? And with me, of all people, still recovering from my divorce giving advice?
“Have you seen a marriage counselor?”
“Yes, when we can. Our schedules are so different. It’s difficult to find a time that works for both of us.” Worry clouded his voice. “Do the cops really think they’ve been kidnapped?”
I nodded. “When they find her, you’ll have your chance to mend your marriage.”
I definitely didn’t want to use the word “if.”
“By the way, my name is Kelly Jackson, manager of the Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ian said.
I stood and Sebastian came back over to us.
He stopped in front of Ian. “My name is Sebastian Reynolds. Julie and I worked together yesterday. I really like her. Her disappearance has been very hard to take. I can’t imagine what it must be like for you with your wife missing.”
Ian looked at him with distraught eyes.
“Listen,” Sebastian said, “those of us who live here are beginning to put together food for the searchers. I think keeping busy is the best thing we can do right now. We’re not members of search and rescue, so we can’t join the teams. Why don’t you come and help us?”
Ian stood, a slow, heavy movement, as if the world was on his shoulders. In a way, it was…the world of worry for his Cassie.
“Thanks. That’s a good idea. My name’s Ian MacGregor.”
The two shook hands then walked away in the direction of the main building. I followed a distance behind, lost in my own thoughts. The stark reality of the situation had settled in. Three people missing. I hoped they were together and could support one another. If it was the poachers who had taken them, hopefully they just wanted them out of the way to continue their stealing. But then, why not just get rid of them? I shook my head. I needed to stop going down my own dark path.
I took Rex with me into the main building, wanting to see if Scott had learned anything. He’d created a private office for himself in one of the rooms off the lounge. The door was closed, and I knocked.
“Come in.” Scott was staring at a notepad but turned and looked at me as I opened the door.
“Is there any news?” I asked.
“Yes. I got a call, a ransom demand.” He tossed the pen he’d been holding onto the desk. “It’s official. Michael’s been kidnapped.”